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September 07, 2006

Kenny can't raise the campaign cash...

...quite like Ted Strickland can.

The Strickland for Governor campaign announced it raised $2.3 million dollars in the month of August - 40% more than Ken Blackwell raised. Blackwell's campaign would have performed even more poorly, if it wasn't for an infusion of cash from the Ohio Republican Party.

The Blackwell campaign, not only trailing badly in the polls is also trailing Strickland in the race for campaign cash. In fact, Strickland now holds a $2.5 million dollar cash on hand advantage.

Comments

How about Strickland shares the wealth! He doesn't need all that money to campaign!

I'm a little pissed at this whole 50 state strategy. It seems it is just a mask for the party. The party isn't even supporting there candidates in blue states.

I'm currently working on a campaign that is sorely underfundedand but could be the most important race for the democrats in Ohio. Rick Siferd is an amazing candidate that is running for a house seat in the 4th congressional district. Currently he is running against republican Jim Jordan for an open seat.
Jim Jordan, a right wing nut job of epic proportions is trying to bring the church and state back together while abolishing the public education and public healthcare systems. He is so right wing that he may be a fascist. Yet he still will win the race if Rick Siferd doesn't get funding from the party.

The democrats feel the 4th district is too red so candidates there don't get funding. This is absolutely wrong and is very childish to assume. The district by the numbers is 33% republican, 30% democrat, and 37% independent. We have the best chance this year to turn the area around and the democrats have abandoned it. Some 50 state strategy! Screw campaigns elsewhere if we can't even win control of a battleground state! Ohio was the whole election last time and it will remain that way until the party opens its eyes!

Currently Jim Jordan has raised over $2 million dollars from the likes of Wal-Mart among others. He is expected to go into the campaign with $3 million. Rick Siferd is hoping to go into the campaign with $25,000. THAT'S 120 TIMES LESS. Even if the other candidate is Hitler (he's close enough anyway) we can't win!

This race is more important than any other in Ohio in my mind. If this race is lost by Mr. Siferd, many ohio democrats will lose hope. I myself will surely stop supporting this party. The republicans are right about the party's failure at initiative. I'll do everything in my power to win this campaign back for the democrats but the truth is that the election is in the party's hands. They say the democrats have a 50 state strategy... PROVE IT!

The fifty state strategy is Howard Deans idea. His job anbd Chris Redfern'job is to run the field campaign not raise money for congressional campaigns. Rahm Emmanual the DCCC chair is supposed to do that. Ted couldn't donate money from a state race to a Federal election. I agree he should help state rep candidates and senate candidates. The person you should be complaining to about your underfunded candsidate is Rahm Emmanual. Also it is the camapaigns responsibility to raise money for itself. Often money can be a thermometer for support for a candidate in a particular area. People in this state need to stop being so inclined to only support candidates who grew up in their town are who are local. It seems that people in this state only think locally and do not look at the bigger picture. Sherrod Brown, Zack Space, Mary Joe Kilroy and John Carnley are in winnable elections. I happen to live in one of those districts (the one Cranley is in) but urge folks across the state to donate to Space and Kilroy's campaigns before Cranley's as they have an even better chance then Cranley. Let's not blow it Ohioans and donate to campaigns where we can win. Let's pool are resources somewhat as they are spare.

And by the way I have already made a contribution to Zack Space to put my money where my mouth is.

I agree with what you said but I think this race is as winnable as any. If you just look at Jim Jordan's website you will see he is one of the most beatable opponents ever. In addition, it doesn't take a lot of money to win in this district but it does take some.

I would also like to point out that I am not from the 4th district nor do I live there. I live in Toledo (9th district) which is the only area the dems don't need help in Ohio. Hell, Marcy Kaptur has controlled our seat for years despite aggressive redistricting. We are all safe there!

I came down here to help us get back a congress seat. And I don't just like the candidate either! It is true that Rick Siferd happens to be a more qualified candidate for the presidency than any we have now but I only care about the congressional seat. The truth is that the party has abandoned this entire district and is prepared to give it away to the republicans. This is why we lose elections! The last time this seat was up for election, Democrat Ben Konop lost by only 3% of the vote to long time republican congressman Mike Oxley. The race was so close that Oxley chose not to run this year. Naturally, Konop got no support from the party. Another $50K could have sealed the deal!

The other races you mentioned are important and winnable but this race can't be any less important. An open congress seat in a battleground state that has been held by republicans for over 20 years that is now on the verge of going blue?! Sounds important to me! A congress seat is a congress seat and this one is wide open. It's now or never and if ignored, it will be never.

In addition, I am aware that the campaign has fundraising responsibility as well but it isn't easy in this poor of a district. The campaign has been raising money for itself but the district isn't exactly paradise. Rick also hurts in fundraising because he refuses to owe big businesses favors, something I wish all democrats would do.

Nonetheless, I'm sorry for posting this on your blog. I was just looking to get word out about things and the party's network is limited at best. I can't seem to find a blog where anyone cares. It's as if a bunch of first graders are talking politics online for the entire party. I've posted my initial post on several other sites and this is the only one that gave a valid response. It really hurts to know how much of the internet has gone to waste. Anyway, thanks for your ear and let's go dems!

Sean - I hate to have to correct you, but Ben Konop lost by 17% of the vote: 41.4% to 58.6%. It would have taken a lot more than 50K to seal the deal. I've got to disagree with you when you say the seat is wide open. The numbers don't reflect your assessment.